Valve



J. J. KENNEY June 12 1934.

VALVE Filed Au 10, 1928 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates broadly to thermal responsive devices, andmore particularly to a thermostatic valve effective for automaticallycutting off the supply of a combustible fluid in the event of failure ofa pilot light.

At the present time in burning combustible gases and some liquids it iscustomary to provide a thermostatically operated system comprising apilot light for igniting the combustible fluid should the main burner beextinguished. In such systems, if the pilot light be extinguished andthe thermostatic valve afterward opened, the combustible fluid escapesfrom the burner without being ignited. The escaping unconsumed fluidproduces a condition favorable to the formation of explosive mixtures.The unconsumed combustible fluid is often poisonous.

I provide a thermostatic valve in which the valve proper is controlledby the heat liberated 20 from the pilot light. If the pilot light beextinguished. the valve is closed and remains closed until the valve ismanually opened. The period of manual control continues until the pilotlight has sufficiently heated the adjacent parts of the valve to causethe valve to remain open by the operation of thermal responsive elementsadjacent the pilot light. Certain features of the present inventionconstitute improvements over the structure shown and described in myPatent No. 1,606,079 of November 9, 1926, and the structure shown anddescribed in my copending application, Serial No. 166,126, filedFebruary 5, 1927.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown, for purposes of illustrationonly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it beingunderstood that the drawing does not define the limits of my invention,as changes in the-construction and operation disclosed therein may bemade invention or the scope of my broader claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a valve in its closedposition and constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a portion of the valve showing the partsin the open position of the valve;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the valve with a portion thereof removed; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view thereof taken along the section line IVIVof Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, a thermostatic valve 1 comprises a valve body2 having an outlet port without departing either from the spirit of the.

4 and an inlet port 5 at one end. Figure 3 is a plan View of the valveafter'the port 5 has been removed from the body 2. The body 2 isprovided with a valve seat 6- against which a valve 7 is urged by aspring 8. The valve 7 is provided with ports 7a to permit the passage ofgas when the valve is open.

An extension 9 on the valve body 2 is provided with a threaded bore 10for the reception of a tube 11 of thermally responsive material, such asbrass. The outer end of the tube 11 is closed by a threaded plug 12. Theplug 12 is provided with an opening 14 in which a, pilot burner 15 isseated.

A rod 16, of material that is thermally responsive to a much less degreethan the material of the tube 11, is supported in the plug 12 andextends through the tube 11, the bore 10 and into the interior of thevalve body 2. When the tube 11 is heated by a flame from the pilot lightor burner 15, the tube 11 expands and moves the plug 12 outwardly fromthe valve body 2 and carries the rod -16 therewith. The inner end of therod 16 is provided with a pointed head 17 for actuating mechanismcontrolling the valve 7.

Combustible fluid is supplied to the pilot light or burner 15 through atube 18 extending into a bore 19 in the valve body 2 disposed in theextension 9. A passageway 20 extends from the end of the bore 19'to theinterior of the valve body. The passageway 20 is intersected by anopening 21 in which a regulating valve plug 22 is seated. The valve plug22 is provided with an opening 24 for alignment with the passageway 20.The outer end of the valve plug 22 is provided with a notch 25 forengagement by a suitable tool.

For securing the valve plug 22 in place, it is provided with a groove 26disposed substantially opposite to the outer surface of the material ofthe extension 9. After the valve plug 22 is inserted into the opening21, the metal of the valve body 2 adjacent the groove 26 is upset anddriven into the groove, thereby securing the valve plug 22 in place.

The position of the valve '7 is controlled by a protuberance 27 in theform of a pin seated in an opening 28 disposed at substantially thecenter of the valve 7'. The pin 27 extends downwardly beyond the wall ofa recess 29 formed in the under surface of the valve. Upon theapplication of pressure to the pin 27, the valve is raised and held in araised position, as illustrated in Figure 2, against the force of thespring 8.

For applying force to the pin 2'7, a dish-shaped boss or lug 30 ismounted on the end of a lever 31 for a rocking motion to bring theforward edge or rim 32 of the lug under and away from the end of the pin27. The inner walls of the lug are substantially perpendicular to theend face of the lug to avoid a cam action. A portion 34 of the face iscut away to prevent the rear edge of the lug from engaging the end ofthe pin when the valve is in its closed position as hereinafterdescribed.

When the pin 27 is opposite the depression in the lug 30, the valve 7rests against its seat 6. However, when the end of the pin 27 engagesthe forward edge 32 of the lug, the valve '7 is raised from its seat.

The other end of the lever 31 rests upon lugs 35 projecting from theinner wall of the body 2 at opposite sides of the opening 4. Thecontacting areas of the lever 31 and lugs 35 may be hardened if desired.The lever 31 is provided with a notch 3'7 near its lower end forengagement with the end 1'? of the rod 16.

On the opposite side of the lever 31 from the notch 37 and below thelatter, a notch 39 is provided for engaging a pointed pin 40 adiustablymounted in the valve body 2 by a screw 41. By

- reason of the relative longitudinal spacings of the notches 3'7 and39, the bearing points 17 and 40 impart a rockingmotion to the lever 31upon relative movement between the rod 16 and the pin 40. A spring 42 ismounted between a boss 44 on the inner surface of the body portion 2 andthe boss 45 on the surface of the lever 31 opposite the notch 3'7 forurging the lever 31 into firm engagement with the end 1'7 of the rod 16.

With the foregoing construction, when the parts are in the open positionof the valve shown in Figure 2 and the tube 11 is heated sufilciently todraw the rod,16 to the right, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, far enoughto permit the lug 30 to occupy the position shown in Figure 2 with theend of the pin 2'7 resting upon the forward edge of the lug 30, thevalve remains open so long as the pilot light 15 continues to developheat. Should the pilot light 15 become extinguished, the tube 11contracts, thereby moving the rod 16 to the left, as viewed in Figures 1and 2. The movement of the rod 16 causes the lever 31 to turn about theend of the pin 40 as a fulcrum against the frictional resistance betweenthe pin 27 and lug 30, and the resistance offered by the spring 42. Whenthe turning movement is sufflcient to move the edge 32 from beneath theend of the pin 2'7, the valve '7 snaps into position over the valve seat6, thereby closing communication between the ports 4 and 5. If the tube11 cools sufilciently to bring the rear edge 34 of the lug opposite theend of the pin 27, an opening movement of the valve '7 is avoided by thepresence of the notch 34 in the face of the lug.

For manually opening the valve 7, a bail 46 is provided. One end of thebail mounted in a seat 4'7 in the valve body 2. The other end 48 isprovided with a shoulder and extends through a joint 49 substantiallydiametrically disposed relative to the seat 47. The expansive force ofthe bail closes and maintains the joint. The end 48 is provided with ahand-grip 50. The intermediate portion 51 of the ball is bent tonormally rest on a pin 52 projecting from the valve body 2, and toengage the lower face of the valve '7, as shown in dotted lines inFigure 2 when the ball is rotated. In starting a burner constructedaccording to the present invention, the valve '7 is lifted from its seat6 by turning the bail 46. After the pilot light has been lit long enoughto warm the tube 11 a sufiicient amount to permit the lever 31 to movefar enough, under the influence of the spring 42, to bring the edge 32of the lug under the end of the pin 2'7, the bail 46 is released andthen rests on the pin 52. Fluid traverses the valve until the pilotlight 15 is again extinguished or turned so low as to permit the tube 11to cool oif.

With the foregoing structure, accidental opening of the valve 7 whilethe pilot light 15 is extinguished is prevented, as the opening of thevalve '7, after it has been closed by the operation of the thermostat,requires a positive manual operation.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a body portion having a valve seat formed therein,a valve cooperating with said seat and means for raising the valve fromitsseat comprising a curved resilient memher, a portion of which extendsthrough the valve body and having means for closing the opening throughwhich the member extends, said means being urged into its sealingposition by the resiliency of said member.

2. A valve comprising a body portion having a valve seat formed therein,a valve cooperating with said seat and manually operated means forraising the valve from its seat comprising a curved resilient member, aportion of which exe tends through the valve body and having means forclosing the opening through which the member extends, said means beingurged into its sealing position by the resiliency of said member.

3. In a valve, a body portion including a valve seat, a valve disk forcooperation with said seat, means for lifting said valve disk comprisinga resilient bail traversing the body portion and having an imperforatebearing therein at one end and passing through the wall of the bodyportion at its other end, and means on said ball adjacent the point atwhich it passes through the wall, maintained in engagement therewith bythe resiliency of said bail, for establishing a tight joint.

4. In a valve, a body portion, valve operating means comprising aresilient bail extending through the wallof said portion at one pointonly and having a pivotal bearing on the interior of said portionopposite said point, and means carried on said bail and urged intoengagement 155 with the wall of said portion by the natural resiliencyof the bail, for providing a tight joint.

JOHN J. KENNEY. I

